Keeping Our Appointment to Pray

Several years ago, Sydney Edwards, a lovely, delightful and spiritual woman was called by God to form an intercessory prayer group here at FUMC. Several of us joined her each week in the sanctuary to pray for those on the prayer list. Our activity eventually expanded into the Prayer Card ministry which provides FUMC members the opportunity to bring prayer requests to the attention of the Discipleship Staff Leadership Team and the Intercessory Prayer Group. We now meet in the library every week to pray for those who have asked, for the Partners in Prayer Team, and for the Lay Pastoral Care list. Our list contains names and not the reason for the prayers since God already knows what is needed. Each meeting begins and ends with prayer. We pray for the well-being of the persons requesting prayer and that God will meet the needs of each person for whom we pray. Our prayers are a way of linking each of us in faith and love by bringing hope and comfort to those needing reassurance of God’s love. Our group has bonded in love and compassion through the weekly practice of interceding for others. Through this group, we find a way of loving others; we shift from worrying over our own needs to the needs of others; and we know that our small acts of interceding are backed by our loving God. Most of the time, we don’t know the outcomes of our prayers, but we continue to feel committed and we persevere in the practice. We trust God is always with us when we keep our appointment to pray, and we trust the Holy Spirit is joined with us whether we feel like praying or not!